I’ve named the Anniversary Dog quilt after two totally different things. The first is that the design comes from a wall in a restaurant that I went to in London last weekend. I had been to watch the Anniversary Games held in the Olympic Stadium (more about that at the end of the page). The second totally separate reason for the name is that I’ve used all the fabrics from a new range of dog fabrics that I have just bought.

The quilt is rectangular, measuring 49″ by 64″. I’ve used twelve blocks which are all 15″ square finished size. The fabric requirement is for 3/4 yard of each of five different fabrics with just 1/4 yard of light blue. I’ve tried to call the fabrics in shades of blue rather than just the pattern on the fabric. You can buy these fabrics at a discount in this week’s special offer.

For the border you will need to cut six 2.1/2″ strips of a sixth fabric across the width of fabric.

The block is most easily made in two completely separate halves

Make the top half of the block

Top half of the block

Begin with a 6.1/2″ medium blue square on the left. Next to this place a white rectangle and a light blue square with a light blue square and a dark blue rectangle beneath them.

Sew the pieces across the two right hand rows and then sew the two rows to each other. Sew this section to the square on the left.

It’s an incredibly simple design, but it just struck me as delightful when I saw it on the wall.

Make the lower half of the block

Lower half of the block

This is very similar to the top half, but place the large 6.1/2″ square on the right this time. Working from the left, place a light blue square and a dark blue rectangle with a medium blue rectangle and light blue square beneath them. Place a large white square on the right.

Once again sew the rectangles to the small squares and then sew these two rows to each other. Sew this panel to the white square on the right.

Completing the block

Add red sashing

I had intended to sew these two sections of the block together to make a rectangular block, but when I put several of them together they just looked a muddle. So I decided to add a red strip across the middle between the two sections. I felt that this would help me give some structure to the quilt design.

It also makes the block square, although that was not my primary objective.

Sew a red sashing strip between the top and lower half of the block.

The block now measures 15.1/2″ square and you need to make twelve of these.

Row one

Assemble the anniversary dog quilt

Sew the blocks together in four rows of three blocks.

In the first row the red stripes are all vertical. I’m using the red stripes and the medium blue large squares to define how to place each block. The blue squares are placed bottom left, bottom left and then top right.

Row two

For the second row, the red stripes are vertical then horizontal then vertical again.

Place the medium blue squares bottom left, bottom right and then top right.

Row three

In row three the red stripes are again vertical then horizontal and then vertical. Place the medium blue squares bottom left, top left and then top right.

Row four

Finally for row four place the red stripes all vertically. The medium blue squares lie bottom left, top right and top right.

Sew the blocks together across each row and then sew the rows to each other.

Add the quilt border

Add the quilt border

For the border you will need to sew two lengths of 45.1/2″ for the top and bottom of the quilt, with two lengths of 64.1/2″ for the sides.

That completes the anniversary dog quilt top. It is now ready for layering, quilting and binding. Full details of these steps can be found in the quilting for beginners section.

Here’s the video:

The Monument in London

The Anniversary Games are held each year in the former Olympic Stadium in London. Last weekend was the first time that I had visited the Stadium and it was a real treat to see some of the great stars of athletics in action. Mo Farah is retiring this year so it was a privilege to see him running.

We also had time for some sightseeing and went to see the Monument which commemorates the Great Fire of London in 1666. The tower was built a few years later to celebrate the re building of London and it still dominates the area even all these centuries later.